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A question: underweight/overweight?

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GERD & Acid Reflux
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Posted 2/13/2007 1:55 AM (GMT 0)
Just a thought:  could there be anything useful in comparing symptoms and the development of GERD of underweight versus overweight people? 

I'm asking this because of recent comments about overweight people with GERD;  I can't see how it is possible to consume enough calories to become overweight when you have GERD.  Maybe it's different metabolism, and maybe there is a different cause to GERD of underweight people.  (And therefore a different treatment!).  Comments have been made about people getting GERD from not eating enough....any thoughts?

Posted 2/14/2007 2:57 AM (GMT 0)
I certainly got GERD from not eating enough. I become malnourished and this made me have a slow process of eliminating bowel from my body. Thus, I began refluxing gastric fluids...
Posted 2/14/2007 3:56 PM (GMT 0)
Friendlygal,

I'm still not sure how I got GERD. Possibilities:
Posted 2/14/2007 4:17 PM (GMT 0)
Friendlygal,

I'm still not sure how I got GERD. (And yes, I must have gastroparesis because the food often just sits in my stomach after eating.) Possibilities:

* Difficulties digesting started around same time as perimenopause. HORMONAL?

* Difficulties digesting started after an awful colonoscopy that left me passing clots for 2 days. (it was negative.)

* Difficulties digesting started after I had lived in a house for 8 years where the traffic and noise outside used to keep me up at night. NERVES?

* Difficulties digesting started after about 6 straight winters of sinus infections with corresponding antibiotic treatment. 2 years ago, the 3rd antibiotic in a row gave me c. difficile - something you wouldn't wish on anybody. IMBALANCED GUT FLORA?

* 7 years of a job where I burn a lot of calories, am always hungry, with never time to eat, and never have enough good food at hand to eat. NOT EATING ENOUGH?/ EMPTY STOMACH? I also have felt a bit hypoglycemic - tend to avoid straight sugar. I like the flavor of the DGL but don't feel they are good in my stomach. I have never tested positive for diabetes and have been a pretty healthy eater my whole life. DIET?

Like you, I have not had any success with PPI's. (And I have to be careful with them because of a possible relapse of the c. difficile ). In fact, the PPI's seem to slow my digestion down even more. The link Danie provided yesterday said that "alkaline reflux" doesn't respond to acid blockers. I thought that was really interesting. I'm about to google that one - haven't heard that term before.
Posted 2/14/2007 4:21 PM (GMT 0)
Lonibel,

Small Weight Gain Linked To Acid Reflux (GERD)

Anyone with alot of fat in their waist are prone to GERD, hiatal hernias, heart disease etc.

Educational information on Hiatal Hernia produced by medical doctors

Of course, once you have GERD you may lose weight because you can't eat too much or you may continue your own merry way eating like you always have if you have drugs to help you.  Obviously then one will always be on drugs.

Posted 2/14/2007 4:26 PM (GMT 0)
On a personal level, I did not lose anything while I was on prilosec for one month.
When I went on the totally alkaline diet I did lose 20 lbs. (everyone around me was horrified thinking I had cancer).
The reason being that I gave up all sugar and all carbs, of course one can lose weight then.
I was just about 20lbs overweight so now this is my perfect weight. Of course, this makes me happy but what suffering to lose 20 lbs.!!
Posted 2/14/2007 8:34 PM (GMT 0)
It's funny; the only time I DIDN"T have GERD symptoms was when I was losing weight - either from the low carb diet, or some other GERD-fix diet.. .. The problem is that I can't afford to lose anymore.

How does one address the "fat in the waist" issue if you can't do sit-ups? I'm very active and take 30 minute walks X4 or 5/week
Posted 2/14/2007 8:43 PM (GMT 0)
My BMI is 17 and I want to add that the relief I got from GERD symptoms from following a diet was TEMPORARY. It's like I would reach a plateau, and stabilize for a while, and then the symptoms would come back.
Posted 2/15/2007 6:40 AM (GMT 0)
"I can't see how it is possible to consume enough calories to become overweight when you have GERD. "

Well, as has been said, it seems to be that being overweight is what causes GERD for some people.

And I can also see why some who have GERD may gain weight whether they were under/overweight when GERD started. Some of the symptoms of GERD can make some people feel really bad and not at all like exercising. They may cut caloric intake as well, leading to a slowed metabolic rate. I believe this happened to me to a certain extent, and of course it was leading me into a vicious cycle during that time. The weight gain seemed to make the reflux worse, which made the cycle more difficult to break. I eventually did break it, but it was not easy. Very worth it as I'm a lot better, but not easy.
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